Born in Hawaii, Jennings moved with his family to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at an early age. Jennings learned to play guitar at the age of 13, when he began writing songs. Jennings later dropped out of school and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to pursue his musical career.
Jennings produced his self-titled debut album in 1997 on an analog four-track in the basement of a rented home, manning all instruments himself. In October 1998, after bringing drummer Chris Stock and bassist Robert Skoro on board, he began a weekly gig at Minneapolis' 400 Bar as the Mason Jennings Band. Garnering local praise and a wide fan base, Mason began touring nationally.
His 2000 album Birds Flying Away revealed Jennings' political activism and penchant for singing first-person narratives of imaginary rustic characters. Following the release of this album, Noah Levy took over drumming duties from Stock.
2002 saw the release of two albums: the studio piece Century Spring and a "fans only" collection of acoustic rarities, Simple Life. An EP supporting Century Spring was also released, featuring the album's opening track, "Living In The Moment," two live tracks, and the previously-unreleased "Emperor Ashoka." Jennings released all three discs -- and re-released his earlier albums -- on his homebrewed record label, Architect Records.
In 2003, Skoro and Levy left the band (the former to pursue a solo career), and were replaced by bassist Chris Morrissey (formerly of Bill Mike Band) and drummer Brian Mcleod.
On 10 February 2004, Jennings released Use Your Voice, which notably included the songs "Keepin' It Real," a foot-stomper ostensibly written at the request of Shrek 2 producers (but not used in the film), and "The Ballad of Paul and Sheila," an acoustic dirge for late Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone. On the 30th, September of that year, the band released a DVD entitled Use Your Van, which chronicled the recording of Use Your Voice and part of the promotional tour. The DVD was filmed by Andy Grund.
On June 17, 2005, news broke that Jennings had finally signed with a major label: Glacial Pace, a subsidiary of Sony's Epic Records headed by Modest Mouse frontman Isaac Brock. Minnesota's Star Tribune broke the story, and credited Brock with convincing Jennings to sign after the Mason Jennings Band had opened for several Modest Mouse shows in 2004. Jennings had long avoided the major labels, citing desires to maintain creative control and dodge big-label politics.
Jennings recorded his sixth album, "Boneclouds," at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, MN. The album was released on May 16, 2006 by Glacial Pace.
After considerable success on "Boneclouds", Jennings released his seventh full length album "In the Ever" in 2008. The album was released under Jack Johnson's "Brushfire Records".
In September 2009, Blood of Man was released on CD and vinyl format. In late 2010, Live at First Ave., his first ever live album, was released.
Sunlight
Mason Jennings Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Underneath the lilac tree
I close my eyes and suddenly
I'm ten years old and running through
An open field, chasing after you
Sounds of summer fill my ears
I'll never feel as good as this
Moments before our first kiss
There is nothing to demand
No algebra to understand
Just sunlight on a freckled face
And everything in its right place
Simple things turn magical
Minutes freeze like Popsicles
And drip their seconds down our shirts
I love you so much it hurts
There's no such thing as real time
I've been yours and you've been mine
And we've lived ever happily
Everywhere I've been you've been with me
There is nothing to control
No question mark left on our souls
Just sunlight on a freckled face
There is nothing to demand
No politics to understand
Just sunlight on a freckled face
Everything in its right place
Everything in its right place
And I want to give you a brand new sky
Something so open, it brings tears to your eyes
So clear and so present, it doesn't seem real
I want to show you how you make me feel
I want to give you a brand new dream
Where two horses drink from a silver stream
As the trees catch fire they lift their heads
And bolt together through the forest across our beds
I want to bring you the fields of flowers
I want to build you Eiffel Towers
Take the clouds in the evening, turn 'em into stars
And drop 'em like keys through your prison bars
Set you free
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
The lyrics of Mason Jennings's song "Sunlight" are about the beauty and simplicity of a moment in time that is filled with pure happiness and love. The singer, as he lies underneath a lilac tree with his eyes closed, is transported back in time to a childhood memory of running through a field with his love, who he later shares his first kiss with. He describes the sounds of summer, the feeling of warmth on his skin, and the magic of the simplest things - such as the warmth of the sunlight on his lover's freckled face.
Through poetic language, the artist conveys that there is no need for material possessions or complex knowledge to feel complete, and that true happiness can be found in the little moments of life. He cleverly uses metaphors such as the idea of "minutes freezing like Popsicles" to represent how time seems to stand still in this perfect moment, where he and his lover are so happy that it hurts. The lyrics convey a sense of both nostalgia for the past, as well as a deep appreciation for the present, where everything seems to be just as it should be.
Overall, the song celebrates love, companionship, and the beauty of nature. It reminds us that true wealth lies in the moments we share with the people we love the most, and that the simplicity of life is what makes it so magical.
Line by Line Meaning
Underneath the lilac tree
The opening of the song sets the scene for a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere that allows him to reminisce about his happy childhood.
I close my eyes and suddenly
With his eyes closed, he steps back in time to a place where he felt most alive and everything is vivid and real.
I'm ten years old and running through
Transported back in time, he is reliving a moment from his childhood that he cherishes.
An open field, chasing after you
He remembers chasing someone through an open field on a sunny day, lost in the joy of the moment.
Sounds of summer fill my ears
He is filled with the sounds of nature around him, which takes him deeper into his past memory.
If I live ten thousand years
With the beauty of his memory, he wishes to live even longer just to savor the moment more.
I'll never feel as good as this
He is certain that nothing else in his future can compare to the simple pleasure he experienced during that memory.
Moments before our first kiss
The memory has an added layer of depth because he's remembering a special moment with someone he had feelings for, and the thrill of their first kiss.
Simple things turn magical
He recognizes that sometimes the simplest things can become extraordinary when remembered with a happy heart.
Minutes freeze like Popsicles
The memory is so vivid that even the passage of time feels like it doesn't touch it, like the time is frozen and preserved like an icy treat.
And drip their seconds down our shirts
He's so caught up in the joy of his memory that even the sticky, messy factor can't detract from it.
I love you so much it hurts
The connection he feels with his loved one (his memory) is so strong that it's almost painful, like an ache in his chest.
There's no such thing as real time
He feels that time is a human construct and that memories can exist outside of time, existing instead in a place of their own.
I've been yours and you've been mine
The memory is further enhanced by the fact that he felt a deep connection with someone else, and that love has lived on inside him, even if the other person is now gone.
And we've lived ever happily
In the memory of that moment, he lived a life of complete happiness, free from any worries and only filled with joy.
Everywhere I've been you've been with me
The memory of the enjoyable experience has become an integrated part of his life, following him wherever he goes.
There is nothing to control
He's realizing the beauty of pure, unfiltered moments: ones without any outside pressure, expectation, or control.
No question mark left on our souls
The memory is so complete that it leaves no doubt or uncertainty within him- he knows what happened in that moment and how he felt better than he knows anything else in his life.
Just sunlight on a freckled face
The simple image of sunlight on a freckled face is a metaphor for that pure, unfiltered joy he has experienced in his life.
There is nothing to demand
Further clarity on his newfound understanding- without expectation, there can only be pleasant surprises and no chance for disappointment.
No politics to understand
Politics, like expectations, are complicated and divisive. In contrast, a simple, sunshine-filled memory doesn't come with any heavy or complex symbolic attachments that might be interpreted differently by different people.
And I want to give you a brand new sky
He's now sharing his joy with someone he loves, wanting to create new memories and new moments of joy with them.
Something so open, it brings tears to your eyes
The sheer beauty and grace of the moment is enough to move one to tears- that's how powerful and magical it can be.
So clear and so present, it doesn't seem real
Memories that bring such pleasure can be overwhelming and feel more like they exist in a dream than in reality.
I want to show you how you make me feel
By sharing his own happiness and joy in memory, he hopes to transmit those same feelings to his loved one.
I want to give you a brand new dream
Further expansion on his desire to make new happy memories with his partner, he wishes to give them yet another positive experience to cherish in their lives.
Where two horses drink from a silver stream
A positive, peaceful image that is dreamlike in its beauty.
As the trees catch fire they lift their heads
An image of natural beauty and majesty- the trees lifting to the sky as if aflame is a magical and remarkable occurrence.
And bolt together through the forest across our beds
A moment of shared unity- the horses running together implies companionship and togetherness, cultivating a connection of their own parallel to the connection he shares with his loved one.
I want to bring you the fields of flowers
More intentional imagery to create a rich and deep feeling of contentment and beauty.
I want to build you Eiffel Towers
A metaphor for wanting to create something grand and breathtaking for someone that he loves.
Take the clouds in the evening, turn 'em into stars
A magical yet impossible scenario, suggesting that he wants to do anything to create happiness and wonder for his loved one.
And drop 'em like keys through your prison bars
A plea for liberation and freedom, for him to help unlock the deep pain or sadness his loved one may feel and instead shower her with positive experiences and memories.
Set you free
His final line functions as a conclusion of sorts: his aim is to use memories and shared experiences to give his loved one a sense of freedom and catharsis, and enable her to start anew with him by her side.
Contributed by Henry L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.